To Live in a Dream
by Her Lover's Spy
Summary: Hermione has fled England and its painful memories, but it New Orleans really what it seems?


Pairing:  Hermione Granger/Severus Snape

Rating:  Um…how's about PG-13 for language?

Keywords:  How about…porn, post-Harry, New Orleans

AN:  Yeah, another after Hogwarts adventure, but only for Hermione and our dear old ex-Potions Proffessor.  A very interesting ending.  The idea occurred to me while watching _Cecil B. Demented_ so you can blame it on the very disturbing thoughts that went through my head.  Have fun reading.

            The neon signs were bright tonight, brighter than she could remember them to have ever been.  It had been five years, two miserable years since she gave up her life in England and the reminders of Harry that had made her existence miserable and plagued her with nightmares.  Ron had stupidly taken the spell that was meant for Harry only to have died in vain, Dumbledore had told her after the battle that Harry and Voldemort were more connected than many had imagined.  She still hadn't talked to Dumbledore, he gave up after her best-friends' funeral when she resolutely held back the tears and glared at him with the pain in her eyes.  After waiting only a little while, well, six months to be exact, Hermione ignored her parents pleas and hopped a fight to America.

            She had been amazed at just how easily people lived there lives across the pond, true, they had known about the Dark Lord and all of that, but he hadn't made an appearance yet, so, it really didn't matter.  It was just natural for Hermione to eventually end up in the South, more specifically New Orleans.  The only problem was that she didn't have a job.  Not many people wanted to hire a foreigner who hadn't gone to university, it just seemed to go against ethics.  But then, she met Devin.  He had been very sweet, fixed her up with a job at a local bookstore, helped her find a better apartment, the list went on and on.  

            Then they became involved; it had gone from an easy casual friendship to ravaging each other against walls in under four months.  Later, after many episodes against the table in her kitchen Hermione had been visiting his studio when she noticed many, many tapes and DVD cases lined the bookshelves.  All of them were dated from shortly after she and Devin had shagged wildly and, while waiting for him to arrive back, she had been given a key to the place, after all, Hermione decided to see what they were about.  

            And there they were, fucking like animals on the floor.  It hadn't taken long for her to go through every single tape or DVD and see the exact same thing on every square inch of film.  The moment she was getting so upset that cursing his balls off seemed a very good option, the _thing_ walked in with a swagger.  Hermine remembered vaguely that he had the good sense to look shocked and slightly guilty, but not nearly enough.  After a great row, she _had _cursed him, and somehow she had the feeling that his muggle doctors would have difficulty finding out how to get rid of _that _rash.  

            So, she had gathered up the offending pieces of media and stalked away, haphazardly sending and "Obliviate!" over her shoulder to go and take a little pleasure in setting physical fire to plastic.  Several hours later, Hermione Apparated into her flat smelling of swamp mud and Skin So Soft.  After that, she had thought that the entire incident was something that she got revenge for and it was time to move on.

            That was until she got a call left on her answering machine in the middle of an extremely hot August.  The call had vaguely refered to a job offer and, since she really was in need of money, Hermione showed up at the Cat Scratch Café, which should have alarmed her in the first place.  Buried underneath the bowels of Bourbon Street, New Orleans denizens of the deep conducted everything from drug deals to prostitution down there.  She honestly should have known.  

            The creature…there was no other name for the man-thing, asked her if she had ever considered going into the pleasurable business of erotic movie-making.  Porn.  Gods, she had been naive, she was in no way innocent, but she was still naïve.  

            _"Porn?  What the hell are you talking about?"_

_            The weasely man cringed, "Well, with that sample that Devin had sent off to me made it look like you'd be interested in it…"_

_            "Interested?  Do I look like I'm interested in having sex on screen just so that some wanker in the audience can get it up?  You ratty little bastard!"_

_            "S-s-sorry, I just thought that-"_

_            "I honestly don't give a fuck what you thought."_

            She had stormed out with the bar's occupants glaring at her, but she hadn't cared.  Hermione was so mad that she could have destroyed all of the damn South with a flick of her wand.  She wasn't a slut.  She wasn't a whore.  She wasn't going to make porno flicks.

            Oh how wrong she'd been.

            It had only taken a few more weeks of starvation before she agreed to make a film.

            And so it came to be that three days later Hermione emerged from a basement production 'studio' somewhat richer and with very little respect for herself.  Later she had given up pride and admitted to herself that it paid the bills, so it couldn't be that bad.  Plus, she had learned that everyone certainly thought that her body looked good, and she had several people wanting to date her.  No, it wasn't that bad, only slightly embarrassing anymore.  So here she was, three years later walking down the streets of New Orleans in a very expensive outfit, heading over to a friend's flat for a party.

            Ben had promised her a big break as long as she hung off of his arm like they were dating.  She really didn't care if it was sort of bribery, he was gay, but a skilled enough actor to be able to hide it.  Why he didn't just come right out, Hermione didn't know, he had already been pursued by some of the best looking men that she had ever seen.  But, his life was his prerogative, so it really didn't matter, plus, whenever she went to these parties, she could forget who she was for a while.

            "Tony, nice to see you again…Jamie, I have to say that your last video was great."  She kissed him on the cheek in greeting.

            "Ah, now Ionee, don't talk work, we're here to have fun!"  The dark-haired man raised his arms and voice.  "Hey, everyone, we're here to have fun!  Get drunk, get laid, do whatever you like, New Orlean's ours until morning!"

            And so Hermione did exactly that, it was easy just how naturally it came to go by the name of Ionee anymore.  The exact profession she had chosen seemed to throw inhibitions out of the window anyway.  There were several men around, Ben really couldn't mind that much if she had just a tinsy bit of fun tonight.

            After picking the cream of the crop, it was amazing that no one else had touched him.  A few women had made there way over along with some men, but none of them seemed to interest him.  Maybe her proposition would go over better.  

            The man she targeted was tall, very tall, and he did seem slightly familiar, but then again, in her line of work everyone looked familiar.  Had he been an extra in one of her films?  One of the shadowy government supporters of the industry, perhaps?  Time to go and see!

            Hermione snagged a drink from one of the 'waiters' Ben had hired and sauntered over.  "Hello, you don't exactly look like you're having a good time."

            The man quirked an eyebrow at her strange accent, not quite southern, but not British either.  "As entertaining as this is, no, it really doesn't matter, either.  I'm looking for someone."

            "Don't you think you should be a bit more proactive in your search then?  Mingling does wonders, you know."  The man glared, but he was ignored.  "Who are you looking for, I know everyone here, I could help you out."

            She once again ignored his derision, including the accompanying snort that came with his reply.  "I'm sure you do, you seem quite popular amongst this company."

            "Anyway, who are you looking for?  Man?  A woman, perhaps?  Describe them for me."

            After looking at her for a long moment the man decided to enlist her help, she did seem to know quite a few people, but if she was at this party it could mean a lot of things.  "I'm looking for a woman, she left England-"

            He never got to finish, though, because at that particular moment Ben interrupted.  "Ionee, I've been looking for you, babe.  I want you to meet someone.  Excuse us," he said to the man next to Hermione.

"But, Ben, come on…"  He firmly took her arm and steered her over to a different part of the room where a redheaded woman sat in a chair being served by some blond man.  "Ben…"

"Shh, I'm about to introduce you to someone very important, so be polite."  She was about to say that she was always polite but the look that the self-posed woman shot her way shut her up immediately.  She was definitely familiar, that red-hair…  "Virginia Weasley, may I introduce you to Ionee, one of my most promising actors."  

"V-v-virginia?"  Something was clicking, but she didn't know what, or from where.  "I'm terribly sorry, but you remind me of someone, have we met before?"

Virginia smiled indulgently, "No, I don't think so, I believe I would have remembered."

"Yes, I'm sure…"  The conversation that floated around her afterward was very difficult to catch.  Sometime after the introduction to Virginia's companion, someone Malfoy, Hermione drifted away to find the man with whom she had been talking to.

He didn't seem the least perturbed that she had been dragged off, infact, he just seemed to stand there until she apologized for Ben's interruption.  "It's alright, I seemed to have found the woman I was looking for after all,"

"Really, where was she?"

A devious quirk of the man's mouth, "Right in front of me, Hermione."

She did a double take, "How do you know my name…"

"I know a lot about you, Hermione, after all, I'm all knowing Severus Snape."

"Severus?"

"Yes, Hermione?"

Well, she did have a crush on him all through school, she had even managed a fondness to grow between them right before Harry died, not that she had ever taken advantage of it.  She might as well do it now.  "Kiss me,"

"I'd be too pleased."  And so she felt his lips on her forehead before the butterfly kisses made their way down to her mouth.  

"Severus?  Severus, it's time to go," Severus Snape looked up to Ginny Weasley and her husband of two years, Draco Malfoy, before answering.  Ginny could see the tears in his eyes.  _Poor Severus, _she thought_, to finally realize that he loved her right before she went into a coma.  _She squeezed her husband's hand for comfort, she had been lucky.

"It's alright, Severus, we'll wait for you outside."  Draco could see the pain in his old school teacher's eyes; he needed to be alone with Hermione now.  He put an arm around Ginny and led her out of the private room, thankful that he had found love.

Severus waited only a few seconds before sitting next to Hermione's bed and taking her hand, he had started talking to her very shortly after she had completely fallen into the coma.  It relieved him a little.  "Hermione, I'm sorry, again.  I meant to come yesterday, but St. Mungo's policies are changing, they didn't want me in here during night.  I tried, but I couldn't.  If it were me where you are, you probably would have been able to force your way in, wouldn't you?  You were always the strongest one I ever knew…I'm sorry I didn't tell you that I loved you back then…it wouldn't have been right, I'm sorry."  

A tear fell onto the hand he held in his own.  _I'm so sorry, so sorry…_

Go ahead and call me evil.  I'm used to it.  It was just a one shot, but I like it.  Heartbreaking.  


End file.
